


Flight Ascending

by WingsOfFire13



Series: Herald's Flight [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adelin gets a haircut, Angst, Angst and Fluff, Angst and Humor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Flying, For Magic!, For Science!, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Itching, M/M, Magic, Pain, Pavus totally means Peacock, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Reference to Just A Bit Off The Top, Rift Magic, Science Experiments, Sera what did you do now, Solas fix it, Wingfic, Wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-09-14
Packaged: 2018-04-13 18:10:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4532121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsOfFire13/pseuds/WingsOfFire13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Due to an accident (prank) the entire Inner Circle ends up with wings. Each set of wings is unique to the person wearing them, ranging from dragon wings to bird wings and some people having more than one set. Solas, of course, wants to study them, as do Adelin and Dorian, but the longer he has them the more Adelin wonders- should he really get rid of them? After all- the breach is a looong way up, and they have no way of getting up there thus far...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just an Itch

**Author's Note:**

> So, I noticed that there are a serious lack of wing and wing related fics in the Dragon Age fandom, and as I am completely obsessed with wings I have taken it upon myself to fix this. Please let me know if there is anything you want to see in this arc, or if you have any other prompts or want to see your own Inquisitors in my fics! Just let me know and I'll see what we can do. Thanks!

It started as just an itch. That was all. An itch that kept weedling itself into Adelin’s back in the same six spots all day.

“Solas? Is itching a side effect of that potion we experimented with earlier?” The elf called down from his perch near Dorian’s alcove as he again reached at the awkward angle to scratch his own back.

“It is possible, Inquisitor. We cannot be entirely sure of the side effects of this potion until our bodies have fully processed it and the ingredients that we were exposed to.” The other elven mage replied from below, trying to scratch his own back near his shoulder blades.

“Fasta vass! My back feels like it’s covered in insects! Adelin, write itching down as a side effect in your new little book. No one should have to go through this torture unknowingly.” Dorian ordered, shifting back and forth in his chair to try and relieve his own itches.

“You don’t think Sera just put itching powder in a clothes again, do you?” Adelin asked him as he glanced over his shoulder, leaning his weight into one of the beams connecting the railing around the rotunda to the ceiling above them, which seemed to help the itching stop. Interesting…

“Solas, Dorian, don’t scratch- just put pressure on the areas.”

“Why?” They both asked.

“I don’t know why, but I’m leaning against this beam and now my back has stopped itching for the most part.” He explained. He watched as Dorian planted both of his feet on the floor and pushed back into his chair, and listened to Solas’s footsteps as he made his way over to one wall of the rotunda. He somehow managed to miss the sound of a third elf chuckling at them from the rafters above as she watched them.

“...Very interesting. It would appear that we all have some sort of irritation just below the surface of our skin that is causing us to itch. It seems to be somewhat similar to the teething of an infant. We should perform tests on this and record our observations- the potion should not be causing this, to my knowledge. Our test subject showed no signs of anything more than a temporary color change.” Solas began below, pushing off of the wall and walking over to his table to start researching again- still scratching the same spot on his shoulder blades as he did so.

“Dorian, what were all the ingredients of that potion again?”

“It was an Angel’s Trumpet Draught. I believe the ingredients to that are royal elfroot, dragon webbing, crushed dragon scales, rashvine, essences of fire, frost, and lightning, and… I believe the last ingredient was Pure Spirit Essence? All mixed and boiled together over electricity and fire until the mixture turns as clear as water once again. In fact I don’t recall it having any taste to it, either. Perhaps you should make note of that too, Amatus.” Dorian finished as he reclined farther into his chair. The soft cushions on the back were probably not the best for stopping the itch in the middle of his back.

“Hmm… The rashvine would explain the irritation, but not below the skin- we boiled it before using it like we were supposed to in order to render it non-lethal. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see. Perhaps the way two ingredients interact with each other is to blame.”

“Dorian, may I please have the spellbook with the recipe for the draught?” Solas called up to the other mages, waiting with his arms out for the book to be dropped to him. Adelin complied, smirking when Dorian gave him his ‘I-am-not-moving-you-do-it’ look, then walked back upstairs to the cauldron that was being kept near where Leliana would usually be found, if she were not currently being Josephine’s personal guard against the House of Repose until her agent came back with proof of the destroyed contract.

The small-sized cauldron was now sitting on the table that Leliana had graciously allowed them to use (it was the only one on this level) and it had been cleared of her papers and anything else flammable because the pot had been set here to continue cooling. 

The cauldron was now only about a quarter of the way filled- which was odd, considering that they had only taken a potion flask full of the potion for each of them- the potion was harmless but had never been given an in-depth study of the effects on humans or elves. They had tried it on a small bird before drinking it themselves, of course, but the only thing that happened was a temporary change in the color of the animal’s flight feathers. Safe with the knowledge that the draught was not a poison, the three mages had taken it upon themselves to discover the true purpose of this potion.

Little did they know that the blonde elf had plans for a prank, and this itching potion with no taste was at the center of it. She would start with the advisors- wait for them to leave their offices and then leave glasses of “water” out for them. Then she’d have to get clever with the rest of the Inner Circle- Varric, Blackwall and Bull she could probably just dump a bit in some ale and bring it to them. Cassandra and Vivienne were still sore at the blonde for switching their armors and forcing the two women to parade around Skyhold dressed as each other while she sent each on a wild goose chase around the fortress for the other, so maybe leave them out of this one? And then Cole… If she was quick she could throw the flask at him. Or something. Seemed a bit cruel… But all of Skyhold would be laughing and smiling at this rate and she couldn’t help but give herself a little pat on the back for tha- oops. She felt a bit of the potion slosh out onto her back, quickly soaking through her tunic.

“Shite!" She exclaimed to under her breath, blowing her bangs out of her face. They needed to be cut again. "Ah well. Bes’ get movin’ then.” She added, methodically going about her new task with startling precision and clarity of thought for someone... well, for someone like Sera.


	2. Potion Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sera gives the potion to every member of the Inner Circle (including Krem) except for Cassandra and Viviene (for now)

Sera stealthily climbed her way back up into her little room in the tavern- never one to use doors, she did her best to climb the side of the stack-stoned building until she could climb inside her open window without spilling her precious itching potion.

She could hardly wait to see how Bull would handle all the itching this thing brought on- it had been funny enough watching Sparkles and Eggie complain and bend at weird angles trying to reach the itches.

Now all she had to figure out how to do was get the liquid in the big ox’s drink.

Taking her usual route into the tavern via the window, the rogue walked through her small room and peered down below into the tavern. She couldn’t see Bull from her current angle, but she knew he was in his usual spot. A few of the Chargers were gathered near the bar getting fresh drinks, Krem among them. He kept glancing back at his boss with a look of annoyance on his face and Sera knew she had her opening. She ran back to her room and carefully poured a little bit of the clear potion into a finger-sized flask, leaving the rest of the larger bottle safely hidden beneath some furs. She absent mindedly itched at her shoulder blades, but she was too excited about this prank to care.

Krem was not above playing pranks on his boss with Sera when he was annoyed with the Qunari. 

“Oi Kremmy, wanna have some fun?” The elf asked as she plopped down in the seat next to him.

“Depends. Who and what do you have in mind?” 

“See, I knicked this potion from Foxbreath, yeah? It makes you all itchy twitchy scratchy and you gotta turn and twist and rub on stuff and it’s all funny, yeah? Imagine if everyone in Skyhold was laughing at all us big-wigs cuz we got some Rashvine on us too? Good plan, yeah? Showin’ the little people we’re not too big for our breeches yet.” She smiled mischeviously.

“So let me get this straight then. You got a potion from the Inquisitor and it makes whoever takes it itchy. I’m guessing you want my help so that no one suspects it’s all a prank you’re doing?”

“Take the fun out of everythin’ don’t ya?”

“Do you want my help or not?”

“Touchy, touchy! Anyways, I got a plan. Beer in ice cream!” She cried, already motioning the barkeeper over to give him her order- four beers with ice cream in them.

“Three?”

“I’m not gunna let you two have all the fun. We just dump this in ‘em and chug! Good, yeah?”

“I see where you’re going, but why do you need me?”

“I didn’t want to walk all the way down to the stables to get Blackwall.” She admitted.

“So I’m your errand boy now?”

“You keep actin’ like a tit and I’ll dump the whole bottle on you.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll go get him. Good luck.” Krem finished and pushed away from the bar to fetch the warden.

Taking the small vial and pouring a third of the potion into three of the tankards, she took the ones for herself (the one not dosed) and the one for Blackwall and found her usual seat at a table.

“Bull, help me with these, yeah?”

“Sure.” The Qunari grunted as he stood, grabbing the other two tankards and sitting at the table with Sera. He looked down into one of the tankards.

“So, beer and ice cream, huh? Who’s joining us?”

“Krem’s gettin’ Blackwall so we can all have a bit of fun.” She replied easily, watching as Bull took an experimental sip of the concoction with well-hidden glee.

“How is it?”

He reached back and itched his shoulder, swishing the liquid back and forth in his mouth for a moment to get a better taste.

“Needs more ice cream, but it’s not half bad.”

“Yeah? Let’s see what they think of it.”

“See what who thinks of it?” Blackwall asked as he sat in the chair besides Sera. Krem took up the seat next to Iron Bull and the two pulled their tankards closer.

“Is this…?”

“Beer with ice cream. Try it, it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted.” Bull explained, taking another long gulp that left his top lip covered in ice cream foam.

“Hah! You look like Magebits!” Sera laughed, swiping her fingers through the foam to make the ends curl up like the mage’s moustache. Krem and Blackwall both laughed while Bull schooled his features into his best Dorian face, then he broke out laughing too and licked the bubbles off.

“So, what’s the occasion?” Blackwall asked as he took a sip from his tankard. Somehow he managed to either avoid or sink his ice cream though because he came back practically foam-free. She wasn’t even sure he’d had any until he reached over his shoulder and itched just above the point of his shoulder blade, which must have been hard considering all the padding he wore.

“Nothin’. Usually when we all get drunk together it’s ‘cause one of us is pissed. Figured this’d be a nice change.” She lied smoothly, raising her tankard for a toast.

“To good mates, weird drinks, and crazy shite.”

“I’ll definitely drink to that one!” Krem laughed, elbowing Bull in the side as they all raised their cups and drank. Krem started to reach over his shoulder like Blackwall to scratch his back too, caught himself doing it, then glared at Sera. However she was too busy trying to figure out how Blackwall had mixed together his beer and his ice cream into that syrupy stuff because THAT looked friggin’ GOOD.

~~~~~

Once she was done with her mid-morning pint, Sera made her way back upstairs again. Now she had to figure out how she was going to slip this to the Advisors. Leliana might be a bit tricky, but Josephine and Cullen shouldn’t be too difficult. Well, save for the fact that Leliana was currently hovering around Josephine to ensure that the younger woman wasn’t assassinated by the House of Repose. Hmm… She’d have to get them both at once then somehow. 

And that was when Sera came up with one of her best ideas yet. From what she could tell, you didn’t have to actually drink the potion to get your itch on…

After making sure that some noble or another was with Ruffles and Queen Stabby outside of her office, Sera set to work. She climbed in through the hole in the wall between the war room and Josephine’s office, then she took all of Josephine’s quills and put just a touch of the potion on each of them. It’d get all over her fingers, and everything she touched would get all itchy too! Maybe she would touch Leliana…?

No. A good prankster never leaves something like that to chance. She found a servant in the hallway and asked him to bring up a bottle of red wine and two glasses. Leliana was rather infamous among the Inner Circle for her sweet tooth, although this was a fact well hidden from everyone else. Just a few drops of the potion mixed in with honey in the wine would be just what the Healer ordered. Cole did this for her a lot so she probably wouldn’t question it too much. Well, as much as Leliana didn’t question something.

~~~~~

Cullen was asleep when she snuck into his office. He always seemed to be sleeping for some reason lately. Probably just a cold. He really ought to sleep in a real bed at least once a week, at least.

He was easy enough to do. She just uncorked her little bottle and dribbled a bit of the clear fluid on the bare bit of neck between his hair and his armor. He was one of those who had that habit of rubbing the back of his neck. Sera briefly wondered whether it would get on his gloves and then every time he wore those gloves if it would spread to other people.

That might not be as much fun if the whole keep got the tail end of her prank. She waited until she was sure that the potion had dried before she left just to make sure that didn’t happen.

~~~~~

Varric and Cole were easier to get to than she had thought they would be. Cole still spooked her out a bit but as long as he didn’t figure out her plan too fast it would be fine. She walked into the armory and picked up Bianca, giving the weapon a generous coating of itching potion before she moved on to Cole’s favorite set of daggers, which were already coated in a different poison… just not on the handles. 

Careful not to cut herself and then thoroughly washing her hands afterwards, Sera took each knife by the blade and let their handles soak in the potion for a few minutes each.

Not twenty minutes later, Solas, Cole, Varric and the Inquisitor headed out to the Hinterlands for the day. Something about an amulet in Redcliffe Cole needed. Andraste must really be on her side today for her to get this lucky.

Sure enough, when the group returned three days later, everyone (herself included) had been itching and itching, and it was obvious that the Inner Circle (minus Cassandra and Vivienne. Sera opted to leave those two alone) the current butt of all the Keep’s jokes. The jokes and laughter became even more apparent when Adelin rode in through the gate on his beloved grey horse, then as soon as he dismounted started scratching his back against his saddle. By the time he was done he had a cloaks worth of silvery white horse hairs stuck to his back, and his long red hair had tied itself so tightly around one part of the saddle that Dorian had to be called outside to help cut some of it off without hurting the elf. 

Even Vivienne and Cassandra couldn’t help but laugh then, watching from the wall above. It was just too… human. Especially for the high and mighty Inquisitor and his Merry Band of Tagalongs.

They only laughed harder when Leliana came out to meet the two mages, Josephine in tow (the agent was due to return in a few hours with the contract for Josie's life, but just to be on the safe side…) and the two were quite obviously trying to conceal their own itches, at least for the moment. They met the travel weary group at the bottom of the Great Hall staircase.

“Inquisitor, I believe the whole of the Inner Circle would benefit from a meeting in the War Room. I have already taken the liberty of summoning them. Shall we go to them?” Leliana asked, glaring at Cassandra when the Right Hand couldn't conceal her snort of laughter.

Adelin nodded stiffly, trying to walk with what was left of his damaged pride back up to the castle (which was hard with his new, terribly uneven haircut) and immediately into the War Room, where everyone had already gathered. All of them were either itching or pressing against the nearest wall, and the only one smiling about it was Sera.


	3. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sera gets caught red handed

Sera had to admire her handiwork. The only people who weren’t itching at this point were Cassandra, Varric, and Vivienne. Maybe the dwarf had wiped Bianca down before he left? Ah well. Her plan was almost entirely successful, even with Leliana, surprisingly.

“Alright. Something is going on here. Leliana, what do we know?” Adelin asked, pulling off his armor and sliding it under the table near his feet. As soon as he reached back to scratch his own back it was like everyone was reminded of their own itches, and all of them started scratching too.

“So far all we know is that most of the inner circle seems to have had some kind of itching spell or potion given to them that has caused an incurable and nearly insatiable itching sensation just below the surface of our skin. It appears that the only way to relieve the itch is to apply pressure to the affected areas. I apologize for our lack of information, Inquisitor.” The redhead finished, going and pushing her back against the wall since she couldn’t reach her itch through her chainmail.

Sera tried to hide her smile behind her arm as she reached over her shoulder to scratch.

“What do we all have in common then?”

“Perhaps-” Solas began, but was abruptly cut off.

“Just need to borrow a little. Just a bit. No one will notice. Funny itching. Make the whole Keep laugh at all us big wigs. Varric’s face when he finds out I put it on Bianca. Glad Krem didn’t sell me out. Cole stop that.” Cole supplied helpfully, pale blue eyes trained on a sneering Sera.

“Ugh. You’re no fun.”

“It’s not a game when lights try to break through you.” 

“What was that? Lights trying to break through us? How?” Dorian asked, not moving from the wall but eyes locked on the spirit boy.

“Yes.”

“Explain, demon.” Vivienne commanded, the magic in the room visibly curling around her in a defensive green haze.

“Flashing, falling, flaming, Fading- it itches and burns- trying to spring free. A forgotten form forced up and out, dodging the dark like Dirthamen’s pet demons. Andraste had it too, but she never woke it up. Not everyone knows how. Tarnished twilight, sunshine filtering through canvas. Fire so bright that the Fade itself changed around her. She would have been a Goddess if she had woken it up.”

“What? Wake what up? What’s happening here?!” Cullen exclaimed, obviously upset that he couldn’t control this. As much as Adelin loved his friend, Josephine was right when she said most of the time all he wanted to do was take the hammer straight to the nail.

The whole room erupted in chatter, everyone moving around to talk in a large group surrounding the war table. Bull’s voice boomed over everyone else’s as he snarled, Blackwall tried his best to keep everyone from panicking (too late) like the veteran he was, Vivienne’s usually all-commanding voice was dashed into the background, and Josephine begged for everyone to be reasonable as she had during the flight from Haven. 

“Enough.” Adelin said in his usual voice, silence falling as he spoke. He waited until each person had made eye contact with him before he continued.

“Now then. Cole, can you be more specific?”

“About what, Adahlen’anasal?”

“About this light inside of us.”

“Everyone has a light inside them. Sometimes it gets turned dark though. A dark light like traveling night. Other times it gets deeper, farther… like when you’re in a dark room for a long time and then suddenly step outside in the middle of a sunny day. A pin prick of light from a keyhole peerign into the rest of the world, swallowed up in so much dark that it forgets it’s a light. It’s almost too bright, but then it’s not.”

“Very helpful. Thank you for that supremely useful description Cole.” Cassandra glowered at the poor boy, who slunk into a corner near Solas to hide.

“Hey, leave him alone. He did his best.” Varric cut in as he peered over at her from the opposite side of the table.

“Light that twists and bends, crackling and igniting with power as it comes through. Colors and heartstrings bleed together, mixing until they are real enough to be real. A touch of the Fade is all that it needs now.” Cole added once more, then resumed his cowering behind the bald elf.

“What would make light bend and burn? Is he just talking about the sun?” Blackwall asked.

“When have you ever seen sunlight light turn dark?” Krem replied with his signature touch of back-talk.

“Oh gee, I don’t know, maybe when the sun sets?” Bull retorted, crossing his arms over his chest again.

The room erupted once more into chatter, theories and prophecies erupting from every word Cole had spoken and going in every direction imaginable. Frustrated, Adelin simply let them all squabble for a few moments longer before he took his staff and wrapped the dull end against the hard stone floor with an authoritative THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

This time the room gradually quieted, each confused or conflicted facial expression turning to the fearless leader of the Inquisition.

“Now that I have your attention, I would like to point something out.” The elf began, turning on his heel to look at Sera, who had found a seat in a chair near the wall and hadn’t moved through the whole panic. It looked like she was still wondering whether or not she had gotten away with Cole’s slip up.

“Sera, would you like to share something with us?”

“Uh. No?”

Dorian moved to stand behind his lover, his storm cloud grey eyes making the pair look like the force of nature they were as they crossed their arms in unison. Everyone in the crowd peered at Sera from behind the the two, mixed expressions of confusion and anger gave way to pity and a little smugness (from Krem) and of course Cassandra’s eternal resting shite face was now on maximum glare power.

“Alright, alright. Sheesh! No need to make those faces.” She stalled for a few moments. She played idly with a dagger from her belt. “I ...may have... snuck a bit of Foxie’s new itching potion to each of ya. I thought it’d be funny for the others in the keep. An’ know what? I was right! We’ve been the butt of jokes for weeks!” She began to get excited, but that didn’t last long when she saw three fearful mage faces gawking at her.

“Sera, do you even realize what that potion you stole was?” Solas asked as he stepped forward to stand next to Adelin, opposite from Dorian.

The she-elf was now facing a literal wall of opposing Inquisition forces. She could see why all those Red Templars were so afraid of them now.

She shook her head.

With a sigh, the bald elf pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache.

“Well, that would explain it.” Dorian helpfully added, reaching forward to help Adelin reach an itch as he rolled his eyes.

“Boss, it’s nothing bad, right? I’m not going to suddenly be like Cole or something, am I?” Bull asked.

“No, you shouldn’t. However, we were testing this potion on ourselves specifically because there is very little research done on it and how it affects people. We were only going to test it on humans and elves- I have no idea what it will do to any of us, but I have even less of an idea of what will happen to you, Bull.”

Bull nodded, looking a little paler than usual.

“Inquisitor, please tell me you tested this potion on something else before you tried it yourselves.”

“Of course we did! Believe it or not, we’re actually decently intelligent, Leliana.” Dorian snapped at the rogue. Everyone knew that this was one of those “I’m-very-afraid-and-I-can’t-control-anything-especially-not-my-temper” moments that Dorian occasionally got into. Rather than letting the two tear each other’s throats out, Adelin wrapped one arm around Dorian’s waist comfortingly while Cullen and Blackwall moved to stand between Leliana and Dorian- just in case she decided to take action. She had done it before, after all. 

“Yes, we did. On a small bird, in fact. There was a temporary change in the color of the wings, but this potion has, again, never really been tested on humanoid life forms. It could change drastically depending on the way in which each of us were given the potion, the amount of elixir we ingested… I don’t even know what variables I’m not accounting for, at this point. We’ll all just have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully, the effects of this potion will be a temporary change in skin tone.” Solas explained, hands folded at the small of his back- likely to try and keep himself from scratching while he spoke.

“If all we’re going to do is change color then why are we so itchy?” Cullen asked. He looked more tired than usual.

“We don’t know. We will find out. For now, I want everyone that Sera gave the potion to kept under observation. Dorian, Solas, and I will be in charge of taking notes and tests, and anyone who was not given the potion will be our gateway from the isolation room to the rest of Skyhold.” Adelin replied, easily shifting into a tactical mindset. His eyes darted around the room as he drew up plans in his head. “For now, I want to keep everyone together, so we’ll stay in my chambers for the night. I’ll have more beds brought up later. I want all of you to gather whatever it is you think you’ll need to pass the time between now and sunrise tomorrow and meet me in there on the double. Understood?”

“Yes, Inquisitor.” The infected troops replied, saluting the elf and then fileing out the door to find their things until only the four mages, Cassandra, and Varric remained.

“So, Buttercup’s got us in a pinch, huh? Glad I wasn’t on the receiving end.” Varric chuckled, but Cassandra and Vivienne just glared at him.

Vivienne quickly turned back to the other magicians.

“Now my dears, what would you have us do? Shall I call in a favor in the court to have another spirit healer come down? I believe that the current Imperial Court Enchantress has a good deal of knowledge of potions and magics.”

“That’s not a bad idea. Find out if she would be amenable to staying with us for… two weeks or so? We’ll have to check with Josephine and Leliana first, of course, but it couldn’t hurt.”

“Or course my dear, I’ll begin drafting a letter to her immediately.” She nodded, flowing out of the room with all of her usual grace and pride.

“Now then, how shall we proceed?” Cassandra asked, unable to think of any royal ties that might help them with their current predicament. Her uncle would never leave his precious necropolis, no matter what they offered him.

“Honestly? Just make sure we don’t kill each other if something starts going wrong.” Adelin joked, and this time actually brought a slight smirk to the warrior’s face. 

“Now that I think we can manage. After all, we make a pretty dawn good team when she’s not trying to kill or kidnap me.” Varric joked again, earning more dagger-glares from the brunette, but coaxing smiling chuckles from Dorian and Adelin both.

Not knowing what else to do, Adelin simply dismissed everyone else to gather whatever they thought they would need in order to be ready for at least the first night ahead of them. But who knows how long they would all need to be observed? The variables were endless…

Dorian sensed the twinge of fear in the set of the elf’s shoulders, the slight hitch in his step as he slowly meandered along behind the dwarf and the warrior. Lightly tugging the redhead to him, Dorian cupped a pale face in between his dark digits, silver and gold glinting and gleaming as they looked at each other like a pair of polished coins flicking in the fire light. With a sigh, Adelin felt himself relax as the human mage gently brought the his down for a chaste, reassuring kiss that was only out of character for Dorian if you didn’t really know him. 

They must have stayed like that for a while, Dorian taking away all of Adelin’s worries while he had the chance, and Adelin bearing his heart to the love-skittish mage for as long as he could. Because no matter what Dorian’s homeland had taught him, no matter what his father did to his beloved vhenan, Adelin knew that he would never stop loving this insane, wonderful, tempermental, beautiful man even after Falon’Din or the Maker or whoever was out there carried him away.

Finally they had to break apart. Dorian had many things in Adelin’s rooms these days, but he was going to need something to read if he was to avoid some unnecessary conflicts with Blackwall and maybe a few of the others.

Adelin still had his arm slung around Dorian’s waist as they walked together into the Great Hall.


End file.
